Packard Foundation Welcomes Tamara Mozahuani Alvarado to the Foundation’s Local Grantmaking Program

October 13, 2020 (Los Altos, CA) – The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is pleased to announce that Tamara Mozahuani Alvarado will join the Local Grantmaking Program as a Program Officer on November 30.

Tamara will serve in a new role leading the cultural and civic investments in the Vibrant Communities portfolio that spans the five Bay Area counties that the program serves: San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito. The portfolio invests $4 million annually to advance creative, environmental, and civic organizations that connect people with art, nature, and their communities, creating a unique sense of place for all.

“Tamara’s experience as an artist, nonprofit arts executive, grantmaker, and community advocate makes her ideal for this role,” said Irene Wong, director of the Local Grantmaking Program. “Tamara brings a lifelong commitment to the arts, equity, and building communities.”

Tamara joins the Packard Foundation after serving as executive director of the Leo M. Shortino Family Foundation, a San José, California–based foundation that focuses on youth and arts. Tamara has held executive, board, and director positions at various local, regional and national arts and community organizations, including the School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza; the Multicultural Arts Leadership Institute at 1stAct Silicon Valley (now SVCREATES); MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana; and WESTAF (Western States Arts Federation).

“I have always been so impressed and thankful for the Packard Foundation’s 56-year history and commitment to local communities and the arts,” Alvarado said. “I look forward to joining the Foundation and continuing this legacy of advancing arts and culture as an incredibly powerful platform for civic engagement and community building.”

Tamara holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Literature with an emphasis in Chicano Studies from Stanford University. She has been a traditional Aztec dancer for over 20 years and is a member of Calpulli Tonalehqueh Aztec Drum and Dance.